Strength. Beauty. Grace. These are just a few words that describe figure skating.
The complexity of this sport is what makes it amazing. It’s one thing to balance oneself skating on the ice where someone could easily slip; it’s another thing to do so through a spectacular dance. Watching a figure skating performance is breathtaking.
Elizabeth Tkachenko and Alexei Kiliakov have been figure skating icons since they were young.
The pair started their career together in 2011 at the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy in Rockville, Maryland. Since then, they’ve been conquering the world from one competition to another. Being American-Israelis, they were able to represent both countries on countless occasions.
Their latest competition was in July for the Lake Placid Ice Dancing Championships.
Alexei was part of the team who choreographed this masterpiece along with Jimmie Manners and their coach Elena Novak. They won first place in the competition’s junior division, where they performed a heart-stopping routine.
Almost a month after, YouTube Channel On Ice Perspectives posted a video of their routine.
On Ice Perspectives is a video series by former figure skater Jordan Cowan. His series features immersive perspectives of figure skating performances. They lived up to that name as they field Elizabeth and Alexei’s routing.
According to the video description, this was taken during their warmup prior to the competition. This was also their 2023 Free Dance to Woodkid’s ‘Run Boy Run’ and ‘Guns for Hire’ medley, and it was exhilarating to watch.
You would know this was an intense routine right when the music started.
The fierce expression on their faces looked like they were raring to take on the challenge. Their choreography started with simple steps, trying to warm the viewers up for what was about to come.
The music started to pick up, and so did the speed and intensity of their moves.
It’s captivating to watch how synchronized their moves were. Even their jumps and catch-foot spins were on point. Their camel spins were also captivating, and they paired that with their expressive faces to feel the emotion of the dance.
As the song went on, they tried on more complicated moves.
The two had a strong command of ice, gliding gracefully with each step. The way they hyrdrobladed smoothly added to the drama and emotion of the song they were dancing to. No wonder they won first place for this routine.
The comments were filled with nothing but praise for Elizabeth and Alexei.
People commented on how moving the performance was. Others have followed the two from the beginning of their careers and still loved them until now and saw the vast improvement in their routine.
But other than this young pair, people also applauded the videographer.
This is a testament that Jordan Cowan’s investment in a sport close to his heart is gaining traction and paying off. It gives that more immersive feeling towards the sport, making the viewer feel like they’re gliding with the skaters. The video was impeccable!
Watch the performance below and prepare for your breath to be taken away.
